Pioneering medic receives knighthood at Buckingham Palace

A leading University of Nottingham medical professor has received a Knighthood in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace today.

Professor Sir Peter Rubin received the honour for his distinguished services to medicine both locally, as a practising NHS clinician and Boots Professor of Therapeutics at the University, and nationally, as Chairman of the UK’s medical regulatory body, the General Medical Council (GMC).

As Dean of the University’s Faculty of Medicine between 1997 and 2003, he was a pioneer of modern medical and veterinary education at Nottingham, leading the foundation of the Graduate Medical School at the Royal Derby Hospital and the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University’s Sutton Bonington campus, now among the most popular in the UK.

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He is a specialist in clinical pharmacology especially in the fields of high blood pressure and medical problems in pregnancy. Despite his current high profile role nationally, setting standards for medical education and practice with the GMC, he still works as clinical academic at the University and as honorary consultant in Nottingham.

The investiture by the Prince of Wales took place in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace at 11am on Thursday 9 December. Prof Sir Peter Rubin said: “Receiving a knighthood is a wonderful honour. Over the years it has been tremendous to work with some wonderfully talented people, leading change in a variety of areas, both locally and nationally. But first and foremost I am a doctor and I have had the privilege of touching and changing lives.”

Prof Sir Peter Rubin has also held other high-profile roles nationally including Board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England during which time he helped establish a new School of Dentistry in the South West. As Chairman of the GMC Education Committee and of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board, he has led major changes in medical education over the past decade. He has also chaired Medical Research Council steering groups forging new treatments for the pregnancy disorder, pre-eclampsia.

Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, said: “Today’s investiture is a thrilling occasion for Peter and a proud one for the University. I know that colleagues will join me in wishing him the warmest congratulations. As well as practising medicine in the city and helping to lead the profession on the national stage, he continues to play a key role in training future generations of medical professionals. Peter’s contribution to The University of Nottingham and to medicine and public health more widely, has been outstanding over a period of more than 20 years.”

Please contact the University of Nottingham Communications office for stock photos of Professor Sir Peter Rubin or for a copy of Press Association photography taken today.

Web page photo courtesy of the General Medical Council.

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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Times as “the nearest Britain has to a truly global university”, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings.

The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 39,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.

More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.

The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.